Taking Sides: Clashing Views in Human Sexuality [Paperback]

William Taverner (Author), Ryan McKee (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 21, 2009 | ISBN-10: 0073545635 | ISBN-13: 978-0073545639 | Edition: 11

TAKING SIDES: HUMAN SEXUALITY, 11/e presents current controversial issues in a debate-style format designed to stimulate student interest and develop critical thinking skills. Each issue is thoughtfully framed with an issue summary, an issue introduction, and a postscript. An instructor’s manual with testing material is available for each volume. USING TAKING SIDES IN THE CLASSROOM is also an excellent instructor resource with practical suggestions on incorporating this effective approach in the classroom. Each TAKING SIDES reader features an annotated listing of selected World Wide Web sites and is supported by a book website. Visit www.mhcls.com.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill/Dushkin; 11 edition (September 21, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0073545635
• ISBN-13: 978-0073545639
• Product Dimensions: 5.9 x 0.9 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #514,123 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fabulous idea, mediocre execution. July 23, 2010

By James Yanni

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book takes a look at 20 sexual issues that get attention in the modern political world, from Casual Sex to Homosexual Marriage; for each issue, there is a question posed (for instance, "Has Sex Become Too Casual?") an introductory essay setting the baselines of the arguments on the subject, a "Yes" essay, a "No" essay, and a postscript summarizing the arguments. This is a marvellous concept, and would have gotten a five-star-with-a-bullet review had the execution matched the concept. Unfortunately, two things detracted from the book's effectiveness: first, and most irritating, was the fact that many of the essays were fairly sloppily written, with numerous typos and grammatical errors. Better editing is needed to prevent a recurrence of this problem in future editions; it may be a relatively trivial thing to most readers, but textbooks should be more carefully edited than your average mass-market fantasy paperback. This one wasn't. The second problem is that on several issues, one or another of the main essays were apparently chosen as simply the best essay available on short notice, but were not really relevant to the discussion; for instance, in issue #5: "Is BDSM a Healthy Form of Sexual Expression?", the "no" essay did not at all deal with BDSM as a sexual practice; it specifically stated that it was NOT addressing the issue of individuals who chose to participate and used "safe words" and other methods of guaranteeing safety and consent. It dealt exclusively with sadistic serial killers, which really has nothing to do with the issue, and specifically admitted as much.

In future editions, if the proofreading and editing are improved and good pro and con essays are found for each topic that actually address the issue in question and give the best available argument for each side, this could be a spectacular book. As it is, it's still very good, but it was disappointing that it wasn't better.

5.0 out of 5 stars SIdes October 13, 2012

By julie

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Taking sides is a multi-issued textbook that takes opposing sides of highly controversial topics. The textbook has a total of twenty issue chapters that each has their own issues in concordance within three Unit chapters. The first Unit describes the complexity of Understand Sexual Expression. The second Unit describes the apparent flaws of sexuality in our society. In the last Unit the proposed sides of Sex and Reproduction are stated in which readers delve into our rights as citizens within the conception stratosphere.
The textbook is structured in a debate style format. The book first gives a description of the characters of the opposing sides. In the introduction the title of the debatable question is given. Then the opposing sides: The for and the against along with who or what is defending those sides. After the information is given on the background and source of reference the sides are debating from an Issue Summary is displayed. The issue summary describes in detail what the audience is going to be reading. This issue summary is unbiased in its opinion of the proposed question. This is to allow the debate to be not one-sided before the points are given by either side of the argument. It also gives factual information as to our society's current connection to the related topic. After the Issue summary has been presented there is a reference paragraph that lists an adequate description of where all the factual information came from within the issue summary. After the reference has been listed the actual written debate begins.
The Issue from the textbook first starts off by giving the floor to the pro-side. Within this section the author defines their own set of guidelines for their argument. They give a list of examples and evidence that support their critical reasoning while trying to disprove their opponents own thoughts and ideas. After all of their points have been made and argued generally they have a conclusion of all of their thoughts summarized. This gives the reader the main topic points of which to refer to for later usage. After the conclusion is given, the reference and cited sources are displayed so that the reader can go find out their interpretation of the data given and draw their own conclusions. After the pro-side has discussed their argument then the opposing side takes the floor in written form. They generally do the same thing as the other side of the debate, giving of reasons, explanations, facts and references. In some of the arguments the authors take an essay-like format to their writing while others list off points within each of their own sections. When both sides have concluded their arguments a "Postscript" is given. This help summarizes the main points and continued ideas about the issue that is presented. At the very end of the postscript there are suggested readings. These readings help the reader delve further into the issue on their own accord to strengthen their understanding of the issue.

Each of the Issues covered in the textbook has to be systematically analyzed by each reader for their own understand of the topic so they can choose which side possess a better argument. Some of the sides of the argument take different approaches to each of their arguments. They appeal to many different factors of human understanding such as ethos, logos and pathos. So there are many different plots and ways that they go about stressing their stances on each of the topics. Some of the topics are more controversial than others but all in all are used to enlighten the reader and hopefully bring into light new ideas on the issues. This is a great book for anyone to own because it delves deeper into the topics rather than just talking about them on the surface.

4.0 out of 5 stars TS:CVHS August 10, 2012

By Samia

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I needed this book for class, and it was exactly what I needed. There are some really good discussions and different points of view. The arguments are never from the extreme sides of any subjects. Also, sometimes the two sides do not really coincide, as in it's almost as if they are not arguing one another's points at all. Other than at, it is great. The book is small, light, and organized well.